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Can coffee improve your workout? The science of caffeine and exercise

 


Caffeine can improve muscular endurance during resistance exercise:


Developing strength and power through resistance training is an important part of a fitness and competitive sports conditioning program. In strength exercise studies involving trained or untrained subjects, the most commonly ingested caffeine doses are usually between 3 and 6 mg/kg body weight (2 mg to 11 mg for the full range), as pills Or taken in capsule form 30 to 90 minutes before training. For resistance training, strength is most commonly assessed using 1 repetition maximum (1RM) or various isometric and isokinetic strength tests. Muscular endurance assesses the ability of muscles to resist fatigue and is an important characteristic in many physical activities (eg swimming, rowing). Muscular endurance can be tested from repetitive squats, maximal push-ups, and bench presses (with a load equivalent to 60-70% of 1RM) to short-term muscle failure or isometric exercises such as planks or static squats [216.



Caffeine intake has been shown to positively affect resistance training performance. Caffeine is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as one of five nutritional supplements with good to strong evidence that it improves athletic performance and performance. Extensive meta-analysis data suggest that acute caffeine intake of 3-6 mg/kg body weight (BM) has a synergistic effect on exercise over a wide range of durations and intensities, which explains why approximately 76% of athletes use it Come compete for 1.



A large 2020 meta-analysis of 21 studies showed that caffeine can improve performance on a range of motor tasks, including muscular endurance and muscular strength. The review also shows that the effect appears to be greater for aerobic training (longer duration) than for anaerobic training (rapid bursts). In fact, aerobic endurance appears to have the most consistent moderate to the substantial benefit of caffeine intake3.




Caffeine can improve performance during aerobic exercise:


Caffeine supplements have been shown to significantly improve many aspects of exercise, including prolonged aerobic bouts and short, high-intensity bouts. Caffeine has a potentiating effect when ingested at doses of 3-6 mg/kg body weight. The most common time for caffeine is 60 minutes before exercise. The best time to consume caffeine may depend on the source of the caffeine. The effects of caffeine appear to be similar in trained and untrained people. Studies that provide data on individual participants often report significant differences in response to caffeine intake. In specific studies, individual differences may be related to habitual caffeine intake, genetic variation, and supplementation regimens. Caffeine may have boosting effects on cognitive function, including focus and alertness. Caffeine may improve cognitive and physical performance in some sleep-deprived people. The recommended doses of caffeine do not seem to affect hydration significantly and using caffeine in conjunction with exercise in the heat and altitude is also well supported. Alternative sources of caffeine, such as caffeinated gum, mouthwash, and energy gels, have also been shown to boost performance. Energy drinks and caffeinated pre-workouts have been shown to improve anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Individuals should also be aware of side effects associated with caffeine consumption, such as difficulty sleeping and anxiety, which generally scale linearly with dose.



A 2019 study of a group of amateur runners examined the effects of alternative forms of caffeine supplementation, supporting evidence of improved performance during aerobic exercise. Although individual results varied, overall results showed that, regardless of dosage form, moderate doses of caffeine supplementation significantly increased 5K mileage compared to placebo7.



For adults, many studies have focused on the acute effects of caffeine on aerobic and anaerobic exercise. 23 In general, low to moderate doses of caffeine (3-6 mg/kg) increased aerobic capacity, whereas higher doses (i.e., 9 mg/kg).23 The mechanism of improvement in aerobic capacity may be multifactorial 23 and may be mediated through increased fat oxidation and muscle glycogen retention, central nervous system stimulation through adenosine antagonism, and/or direct effects on skeletal muscle.24-26 Effects of acute caffeine administration on anaerobic exercise performance Effects are less clear, with no effects, improvements, and diminished responses reported. 27,28 In studies showing improvements in anaerobic exercise, several potential mechanisms have been identified that may have a direct effect on skeletal muscle latur or its effects on the central nervous system as an adenosine antagonist. 27 As with aerobic exercise, the exact mechanism by which caffeine affects anaerobic exercise is unknown and likely multifactorial. 27

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